I don't own walking dead and I don't own Daryl, but I do feel frustrated that the story I started during season two is now the main storyline in season four. Lame, lame, lame. But anyway mine is way better.

The day was coming to an end and the sun was sinking low. Rick called in the other two to discuss further action. Glenn met up with him first, holding some fabric.

"What ya got there, Glen" Rick asked as Glen came forward.

"Well, I'm pretty sure its Daryl's pants and I really hate that I'm holding them." Rick took them, turning them over, looking again for signs of blood or struggle.

"Really wish I hadn't just been holding Daryl's pant" Glen continued. T-Dog came up to the group, saw what Rick was holding and sighed.

"Do not tell me that those are Daryl's jeans, come one man! I do not want to find Daryl naked in the woods. Is that asking too much?" Rick looked up towards the sky, judging the shadows against the ground as well. He knew they had to get back to the camp before night fell, and that was happening real quickly.

"Glen, did you mark where you found these? We don't have time tonight to pick up the trail."

Glen nodded," ya, yellow flag right by a huge oak tree."

"Ok, good job, lets hike back to camp and pick up again in the morning". T-Dog adjusted his pack asking,

"It's been a while now Rick and we know he is real sick. You think he is still ok out here? We might find him tomorrow as something else if that fever over takes him."

"I know, but we gotta keep looking. We'll find him guys. Come on its Daryl, you know he is ok." The three men turned back towards camp and booked it, hoping to make it home before the sun went down.

"Baby brother what the hell are ya doing? You hitten that Peyote again?" Daryl whirled at the sound of the older Dixon's brother voice. His vision was clouded and he staggered as he walked towards his brother.

"Merle, Merle, I was…. was", He lurched forward leaning heavily on a bar stool. "I just came here to ah...shit..Grab a beer!" Merle cocked his head as he watched his brother lean heavily on the stool, breathing hard.

"Well now Daryl you already look like you've had your fair share of a few. Hey Ben, how many did you already give him?"

"None, you know I won't serve him Merle, he's underage. No he came in here like this. Normally I'd just kick him out, but he's acting kinda funny, so I called ya up here to grab him. But I need you to get him outta here now Merle, I don't need to be shut down because he's looking like I served him."

"I hear ya Ben, I hear ya….DARYL, LET'S GO BOY!" Merle stormed up to his baby brother and took him by the forearm, ready to haul him out. He paused though as he felt heat from Daryl's skin and saw a series of red angry splotches going down Daryl's neck and a few across his arm. He rolled his eyes and dragged him over to a chair, pushing him into it. Daryl collapsed into the, his body dead weight beneath him.

"Shit Daryl, really boy?" Daryl just moaned softly and Merle shook his head. "Unbelievable, hey Ben, bring me some water quick. He aint drunk, he's sick." Merle leaned down in front of Daryl and slapped his face a few times,"Hey, hey, hey, don't you pass out on me baby brother." Daryl tried to slap his brother's hand away but couldn't quite bring his hand up to do it. The barkeep brought over some water, handing it over to Merle.

"Ok baby brother, Drink up and let's get you up and in the truck". He tilted Daryl's head back a bit and pours some of the water down into his mouth. Daryl tried to drink, but only ended up choking on it. Merle took a step back as Daryl spit out the rest of the water.

"Alright little brother, now it's time to go", Merle threw the rest of the water into Daryl's face, causing him to back up as quickly as he could. Problem was he was still sitting in the chair, so he only managed to topple backwards. Merle just laughed at his younger brother tried to get his bearings and back on his feet. Ben scowled at Merle and went over to help Daryl up.

"Alright Merle you had your fun with him, now get him home and to bed. He doesn't look to good. He feels like he is burning up and he can barely stand." Ben had Daryl almost slung across his shoulders at this point.

"Ya, ya ill get the precious cargo home" Merle laughed as he went to retrieve his brother form the burly barkeep. As he got Daryl to his feet he attempted to have him walk out to the truck. At the first step Daryl's knees started to shake.

"Oh don't you even think about dropping out on me little brother, don't you dare. I aint gonna catch ya" Merle warned as he felt Daryl's legs wobble.

"Merle…shit.." Daryl's knees buckled under him and he hit the ground hard, cracking his head against the wood floor as he came down. His vision blacked out as he heard Merle saying,

"Told ya, I wouldn't catch ya baby brother. Aint no one ever gonna catch ya when you fall. Should of listen".

She watched as he slept in the bed. He tossed and turned as he slept. She had to keep trying to wake him up to get him to drink, but each time it was harder and harder. She decided that for the night she would just let him rest, hoping he hadn't been out there to long and he could still recover.

Rick woke everyone up before the sun was even up. He knew the risk, but he knew they needed as much daylight as possible to find Daryl. The three men made their way back to Glenn's marker quickly, despite having to dispatch a few walkers on the way. Once at the marker they again spilt up and continued the search. Each man ran through several scenarios in their head, depicting on the what if's. They knew they needed some sort of answer. Today they had to find him whether it was still alive or walking among the dead.

Daryl felt hot, and he shifted to try and relieve the heat, but to no avail. He tried to push the covers off of him, but they were heavy and he finally gave up. He felt a cool hand press against his cheek and hears a soft voice.

"Don't struggle, you are really weak. Here let me help you" She started to lift one of the blankets off of him when he reached out and grabbed her arm, startling her momentarily. His hand was so hot it felt like it was searing her wrist and his eyes, now open, were unseeing. clouded with fever.

"Don't.." he managed, taking in a shallow breath and coughing dryly, "Don't need help". She gently pulled him hand from her wrist and took the rest of the blanket off of him.

"Yes you do, you could have died out there with how sick you are. I don't know what the hell you were doing out there, but you out cold with only your pants and boots on. Now if you can remember I need to know your name. You have been talking in your sleep, saying Merle and Rick a lot. Which one is it?" She removed the sheet from on top of him. It was soaked with sweat and cold. Placing it to the side she recovered him with another. The entire time Daryl tired to watch her but found everything made him dizzy. He tried to raise a hand to his hand and was barely able to make the simple motion. She noticed and commented,

"Told you" she said sitting down on the bed next to him," You are very weak, I don't know when you have eaten last. I have tried to get some water into you, but you have mostly been sleeping. I haven't gotten a chance to take your temp again, so since you are up let's do that as well as get some water into ya." She brought out a thermometer and told him to open his mouth. He didn't know why but he complied. While they waited for it to beep, she placed a cool washcloth on his forehead. At contact he first scrunched his brow and scowled, but as the coolness settled into his skin he relaxed a bit. When it finally beeped she took it out of his mouth to read it.

"102.7, that's not good guy"

"Daryl" he whispered, coughing, "Daryl". She looked up at him, handing him a glass of water.

"Your name is Daryl?" She asked cautiously, he nodded sighing heavily as his eyes lids grew heavy.

"No, sleeping yet!" She placed her hand on his face "Daryl, hey. I need you to drink again before sleeping. Come on." She helped bring the cup up to his mouth so he could drink down the water. She didn't let up until the whole glass was gone. Daryl's head fell back to the bed and his world grew dark as sleep over took him rapidly.

"Well at least I got a name this time". She gathered up the soiled sheets and the cup, bringing them out of the room and downstairs. She left everything on the floor, grabbed her pack, scribbled some notes on some paper and headed out to the woods.

A couple hours later

Glen came running up to Rick with a huge smile on his face. When he saw him he whistled, long and hard.

"I found his boot and it had a note on it" Glen managed to get out in between breaths.

"Well, tell me what it said" Rick said anxiously. Glenn pulled the note from his pocket.

Daryl is in a green cabin, he is alive.

"Oh my god, where did you find that Glen? Where's T-Dog, we gotta find this place before nightfall!"

"I know, I know. I found it about 500 feet from here, I left a marker."

"Well alright, lets grab T-Dog and find this place; it can't be far from the marker". Glenn nodded and he waited while Rick went to grab T-Dog. When all three men were together Glenn took them to the marker. About two hours later they found the green cabin. On the door was another note.

If you're here for Daryl please don't hurt ANY of the animals on the property. If you are not looking for Daryl then leave or face the outcome of not heeding my note.

Glenn, confused by the oddness of the note looked to Rick,

"What should we do Rick?" Before Rick could answer they heard a bird cawing inside the cabin. A minute later a young women's face appeared in the upper window. She opened it and called out to the them,

"How long have you been looking for him?"

Rick stepped forward,

"He has been gone for about four days and sick for at least five". Satisfied with his answer she replied,

"Alright, well he is up here, been sleeping for days, waking up every now and then. Real bad fever though. I'll be down to let ya in." She disappeared back into the house and Rick let a huge smile cross his face. Looking at T-Dog and Glenn he saw that they too, were also smiling and relieved. They had found him and he was alive. She appeared at the front door shortly and led them up to Daryl.

Thanks for reading. Please review, I love hearing back from you guys.